Fethard & District Day Care Centre
The ‘Senior Day’ at the Fethard & District Day Care Centre will not be held on Friday 28th March due to unforeseen circumstances.

Fethard and District Rugby Club News
Our under 16s were beaten in the Semi-Final of the East Munster Plate competition by Clanwilliam on Sunday. Fethard started the stronger and dominated the game for the first twenty minutes and deservedly led by 14 points to nil. The Fethard pack were awesome at this stage with Sam Manton, Kevin Hayes, Colm Shanahan and Robert Hall carrying the ball forward at will and offloading and securing possession on contact. It was such a forward move that led to the first try with quick ball from the ever improving Conor Kavanagh, the bal was flashed out to release Aaron Conran into the corner for his first try. Cousin Daniel Hickey duly converted. Our second try also came from forward play with Joseph Meagher taking the ball from the ruck and powering over under the posts, Daniel also converted this one. Fethard then relaxed and conceded two easy trys with our defenders playing tag rugby, this left the score 14 points to 12 in favour of Fethard at half time.

Clanwilliam started the second half in a determined mood and threatened the Fethard line continuously but the Fethard defenders put in the big hits and Joe Meagher held up one certain try. This pressure yielded Clan a penalty which they converted to lead by a single point. Fethard responded well and should have scored on at least three occasions. This Fethard pressure eventually payed off when quick ball again released Aaron Conran for his second try. This restored Fethard’s lead to 4 points, and it looked as though this lead would be sufficient but now Fethard were playing all their rugby in their own 25 and failed to clear despite having numerous opportunities to do so, including a penalty chance. Clan crossed for a try with two minutes remaining and won by three points. The Fethard team played the better rugby on the day and all were crestfallen to loose this game.

Under 18's to replay Cup Quarter-Final
The under 18's travelled to Kilfeacle to take on the tournament favourites and came away with a well deserved five all draw. This game will be replayed on Thursday night in Fethard at Eight p.m. This performance shows that they are well capable of progressing to the semi-final, and the home advantage should give them the edge to cause the upset of the season by defeating Kilfeacle.

One of the coaches described this as a brilliant game of rugby from start to finish. Cathal Gorey scored Fethard’s try in the second half to draw the game. Joey Kelly and Billy Horan, despite niggling injuries contributed enormously to this display, both defensively and offensively, their mauling and rucking was vintage Munster fair. Stuart Hanrahan, Declan Doyle and Paddy Teehan were also prominent throughout, but each and every player contributed manfully to a great team performance. They are fully deserving of your support so come up to the Community Field for eight p.m. on this Thursday night to see a great game of rugby and hopefully witness a Fethard victory

Award for excellence
Jonathan Blackmore who received the UCD President's Award for excellence in student activities at the annual Awards Day ceremony held in the O'Reilly Hall, UCD.

Jonathan Blackmore of Mortlestown Castle, Killenaule received the UCD President's Award for excellence in student activities at the annual Awards Day ceremony held in the O'Reilly Hall, UCD. A former pupil of the High School Clonmel, Jonathan is studying Computer Science and was honoured for his excellent work for the ‘Please Talk’ Campaign. This campaign is aimed at students who may be experiencing difficulties with mental health issues while they are at college. The web site he set up called pleasetalk.ie and is a portal for all services available and has just been launched nationwide.

Polish Community Group visit Fethard
Members of Fethard & Killusty Community Council photographed with a group of Polish visitors who came to Fethard to look at various community projects undertaken in the town and to learn how they were achieved. The group visited the Fethard Town Wall, Fr. Tirry Community Centre and the Abymill Theatre and were accompanied by Paul Keating, Irish Leader Support Unit, Tipperary Institute, and Catherine Corcoran, Rural Development, Tipperary Institute.

Tipperary Institute and Community groups in the County hosted a visiting delegation of 54 Polish community workers and politicians last week. The delegation had come to Tipperary to learn from the county’s long history of rural development and particularly the LEADER programme. The visitors were joined by a large number of Polish people living in the Tipperary area well as several local well-wishers.

During their stay the group visited many community projects around the county, including Slieveardagh Development in Killenaule, the Community Council in Fethard and Inch Tidy Towns demonstrated to the group the strength of local development in Ireland.

The group visited the Fethard Town Wall, Fr. Tirry Community Centre and the Abymill Theatre and were accompanied by Paul Keating, Irish Leader Support Unit, Tipperary Institute, and Catherine Corcoran, Rural Development, Tipperary Institute.

Paul Keating expressed the desire of TI to build closer relationships with rural development organisations in Eastern Europe and also to create links between TI and the Polish community in Tipperary. “This conference in Polish was a first for TI and has demonstrated that language need not be a barrier to learning and sharing experiences.”

Concert for Hospice great success
The Fethard Support Group for South Tipperary Hospice would like to thank most sincerely everybody who helped in our Variety Concert in the Abymill and the draw that was run in conjunction with the concert. The total raised was a staggering €5,710 which surpassed all expectations. A special word of thanks to Abymill, Fethard, for hosting the concert.

St. Patrick's DayIrish Girl Guides 'Abbey Pack' photographed with leader, Theresa Hurley, at the St. Patrick's Day Mass held in Holy Trinity Parish Church Fethard.

Slievenamon Ladybirds photographed with leader, Catherine O'Donnell, at the St. Patrick's Day Mass held in Holy Trinity Parish Church Fethard.

Irish Girl Guides photographed with leaders Theresa Hurley and Judy Doyle at the St. Patrick's Day Mass held in Holy Trinity Parish Church Fethard.

Fethard Boy Scouts and Cubs photographed with leaders at the St. Patrick's Day Mass held in Holy Trinity Parish Church Fethard, celebrated this year on Saturday 15th March.

First Aid Classes
Fethard Civil Defence will commence with classes in First Aid on Thursday 27th March from 7.30pm to 9.30pm. The classes will last for eight weeks. Those interested in participating are asked to contact: Dolores Fahey, Civil Defence Officer, Heywood Road, Clonmel. Tel: 052 34455 or Mobile: 087 2435001. Email: dolores.fahey@southtippcoco.ie

Community Games Benefit Night
Co Tipperary Community Games are holding a benefit night at Clonmel Greyhound Track on Easter Sunday, 23rd March, commencing at 7.30pm. All families are please asked to made this a night out for parents and kids and come and join in the fun. There are numerous families in the area that got tremendous enjoyment from the games in the past and now is the time to show some support for this venture, which is in commemoration of the 40th Anniversary of the organisation. Proceeds are to fund a book presently being compiled outlining the history of the games in Co Tipperary. There are certainly some blasts from the past in this. We would love to see former competitors joining us on this historic occasion.

If people are unable to attend but would like to make a contribution to the funds please contact the Community Games Office at 052 31906. We would like to say a big ‘Thank You’ to all those who have supported us to date.

St. Vincent De Paul Families that may need help with this year’s First Communion or Confirmation expenses are asked to contact any member of the Fethard St. Vincent de Paul committee as soon as possible.

Church of the Sacred Heart, Killusty
Holy Thursday: Mass of the Lord’s Supper 8pm.
Good Friday: Celebration of the Lord’s Passion 8pm. Stations of the Cross 7.30pm.
Holy Saturday: Easter Vigil 8pm.

Community Games Art and Model Making Finals
Closing date for entries for art and model making at local level is now closed. Entries have been submitted to the judging panel and results will be brought to the schools on Monday, 31st March.

Medals will be awarded to first three in each category and the first two in each category will qualify for the County Finals which will take place in Fethard Ballroom on Saturday, 5th April, at 1pm. Entry fee for county finals is €2 euro. Good luck to all.

The games committee would like to take this opportunity to wish everybody a holy and happy Easter.

Patrician Presentation Secondary School
The school branch of the AIB bank, now managed by Transition Year students, participated in the AIB ‘Build a Bank’ challenge on Tuesday 11th March 2008. Participating students were Aisling Dwyer, Laura Rice, Gráinne Horan, Melissa Wallace, Sarah O'Meara, Kelley Coady and Niamh Fanning. The students accompanied by a teacher travelled to the Silversprings Moran Hotel in Cork. There they set up an exhibition, displayed their business plan and progress report, gave a slide show presentation and showed a video of their bank in action.

They were very pleased to win the Best Exhibition Prize. For the win they each received an MP3 player and the school was awarded a digital camera and a DVD/Video Combo. Of course, the trophy has been given its place in the school trophy display cabinet.

It was a very enjoyable day for the students. They spent time with TY students from schools in Cork, Kerry and Waterford. They had the opportunity to discuss the work of banking with others and to check out others' exhibition ideas. A very educational day!

Young Entrepreneurs
On 7th March the Patrician Presentation Secondary School entered five teams in the Young Entrepreneurs competition. This is achallenging competition that requires students to set up and organize a business over acouple of months.

In the Junior Category, Ronan Fitzgerald had ‘Ronan's Car Valeting’; Eugene Walsh and GerryHoran set up a window cleaning business called ‘G&E’. ‘Bits & Bobs’ was the brainchild ofMolly O'Dwyer, Lucinda Carroll and Lyuba Novikova, selling calendars and also offering a dogwalking service. Finally the ‘In and Out, No Messing About’ garden maintenance team set upby Adam O'Donnell, Sean Whyte and Dylan Cahill won 3rd prize in the junior section.

In the intermediate section Noel O'Brien, Ted Barrett and Gavin Lonergan were awarded 3rdprize for their chocolate biscuit cake. This has been a very popular product in the schoolshop! Well done to all participants.

Fethard GAA Club News
In the Tipperary County League our senior footballers received a walkover last Sunday from Arravale Rovers. This Sunday they play Aherlow in Lisvernane at 12 noon.

Our Under 21 B Footballers have still to play Clonmel Og in the South Championship with the game fixed for Easter Monday at 2pm in Kilsheelan.

Card Game for Bro Paul
We would like to ask you to support a ‘Card Night’ in Lisronagh on Tuesday 25th March with proceeds of night kindly donated by Moyle Rovers Club to Br Paul’s Fund in Eldoret, Kenya.

The Lotto Jackpot €9,100 was not won. Numbers Drawn were 11, 15, 23 and 27 and we had no match three winner so the following tickets drawn won €30 each: Mgt Dorney (72 Woodvale Walk, Fethard); John Geeran (c/o Merrys Clonmel); Joe O Dwyer (Ballyclerihan, Clonmel); Con Doyle (66 Woodvale Walk, Fethard); and Veronica Fogarty (Garrinch, Fethard). The €50 Lucky Dip was won by John Phelan (Butlerstown Ballyneale). We thank Fethard District Credit Union for supplying the tickets.

Membership subscriptions are now due and must be paid before the 17th April. After this date they can no longer be accepted. For more information call: 087 2497189.

The date set for our fishing competition is Sunday 17th April meeting at Thorny Bridge at 11am. Wishing all our members tight lines for the coming season.

David Kitt at the Abymill
Singer songwriter David Kitt will perform in Fethard on Saturday 29th March in the intimate surroundings of the Abymill Theatre. David will be supported by ‘Armoured Bear’ who are a band based in West Cork and will be releasing their debut album 'Honeycomb Moons' in April 2008.

This is a great chance to see one of Ireland’s finest performers in a perfect intimate setting of the Abymill Theatre enhanced with great acoustics. Tickets for the gig are available from McCarthy’s Hotel in Fethard or call Vincent (Jasper) on 086 8119625.